Torsion-meter



` H. H. C'UMMINGS.

TORSION METER. APPLlcATloN FILED FB.1.1918.

'Patented Feb. 22,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. H. CUMMINGS.

TORSION METER. APPLICATION man FEB. 1, 191s.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE; K

' HENEY H. oUMMINGs, yor BosToN, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIGNoEoE ONE-HALF To HoWLANn E. GARY, or ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA. i

TORSION-METER.

Application led February 1, 1918. Serial No. 214,816.

To all whom it may concern:

` Be itlnown that I, HENRY H. CUMMINGS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Torsion-Meters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is ka specificaf tion, like letters on the drawings representinfr like parts. t

tThe present invention is an improved apparatus for measuring the torque or twistof shafts, and is particularly valuable in measuring the twist in the propeller shafts of ships, `on which to base calculations `for horse power.

I have discovered that the elasticv distortion of steel propeller shafts for vessels may be relied upon for the basis of accurate measurements and my prior patents upon such apparatus, or torsion meters, Nos.

1,100,691, issued J une 16,1914, and 1,227,043,y issued May 22, 1917, illustrate certain of.

my apparatus. In these prior torsion meters, however, the apparatus wasl permanently installed on the shaft, or upon each shaft of a ship, and the readingsl and indications therefrom were made upon detach-v In the usual modern con-V able record cards. v struction where a plurality of propelling shafts are employed, such as in the present battleship, destroyer, or other jmarine craft, where a plurality of three or eyenmore pro-` pelling shafts are installed, such prior torsion meters had to be fitted to and applied upon each shaft. Also in many types of vessels, the space for taking torsion meter readings is extremely limited, and the location ofthe shafting in the extreme lower part and run of the ship, rendered these readings and adjustments diflicult.

My `present invention is an improvement on the general type of torsionk meter illustrated in my said prior patents and furthermore consists in means which require but a minimum vof permanently attached devices on each shaft, au important portion of the apparatus being portable from one shaft to another during the taking ofv successive indications or readings. A. further important feature of my present invention enables the yindications or readingsl to be taken from a shaft while the portableapparatus is held 1n the most convenient and visible portion of a shaft, the operator applying the port able part of the apparatus at any` point on 1 specification tf Letters raient. Patented Feb, 22, 1921,-

the shaft adjacent that part of the apparatus fixed to the shaft, thus greatly facilitating the use,.speed, accuracy and comfort In working in the narrow and confined spaces in a vessel where these torsion readings must-be taken. Means to adjust the portable part'of the apparatus to coperate j accurately with shafts of different'k diameters is also provided, and means for independently adjusting and correctin the indications for each shaft to be rea is provided. Further details of construction, ad-

Vantages and features of the invention will be hereinafter .more fully pointed out and claimed.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary endview von the y Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of thel portable portion of the apparatus;

mechanism secured to the shaft, a similar,

construction to that shown in my said prior Patent4 1,227,043. It will be understood, however, that yI may utilize any desired arrangement yon `the shaft portion which it is desired to measure for torque, adjusting such portion for coperation with the portable part of my apparatus to be further described. y f

vThe usual propeller shaft section ishere indicated in diagrammatic form, comprising the hollow shaft 1 with a flange 2 at the forward end and a similar flange 3 at the rear end, these flanges being bored, as indicated at Ll, and are adapted for bolting adjacent shaft sections together. Such shaft sections are usually of about twenty feetv in length, and to one of these sections l apply the apparatus for registering and indicating the twist of the section or a portion of the saine. 1

In the rear flange 3 l form a groove 5 er.:- tending radially from tile center and then apply to this shaft section an inner rod or shaft of less diameter' than that of shaft 1, this inner shaft 6 being rigidly secured to the shaft 1 at its forward end so as to take up the twist of said shaft at the forward end but being free of such twist at therear-` most end, viz., adjacent the flange it the forward end of the shaft 6 l apply a collar 7, the same being clamped about the end of the shaft 6 by screws S, 8, which collar has at its forward end a set of 3 rigidly extending guides 9, each carrying a plunger 10 with'a point .11. A conical central screw 12 is adapted to throw the plungers 10 radially outward by simultaneous movement, and to force the point 11 firmly into the adjacent walls of the shaft 1, thus biting into the shaft and holding` the collar 'T and this end of the rod G rigidly andv firmly united with the shaft 1. it the rear end, adjacent the flange 3, the rod 6 has its end reduced in size, as indicated at 13, which end portion is fitted within a supporting ball bearing spider 14, said spider having a plurality of legs 15, 15, holdingl the saine concentrically within the shaft 1. T o this end also of the shaft 6 a second collar 16 is secured by clamps 17, said collar having 'two diani t 1ically extending'arms 18 and 19, enten bcyoiu. the legs 15 and at one side of same, these arms 1S and 19 being inl alinement with the radial slot 5 and to said arms a bar 2O is attached by sfrews 2-, 21, which bar extends upwardly beyond the diameter of the flange 3, said bar being of sufhciently smaller size than the groove 5 to permit the slight radial movement of the bar therein. To more firmly secure the collars 'i' and 1t? to the shaft 6, set screws 2i, 21. are applied. The construction just described is substantially similar with that shown and explained in my said prior Patent No. 1,227,043.

lt will be readily appreciated that w the construction just described the shaft G will turn with the shaft l. being driven. by the forward endV connections through the plungers 10, but said shaft 6 being free from load and 'without torsional strain, will not twist with the shaft 1 and consequently the differential in torsional movement will be registrable at the flange 3 between said flange andthe bar 20. lt is this differential which is employed in effecting the measurements for torque. To the top of the bar 20 is secured a cap 23, having a tubular portion 24 in which is block 25, having a bored recess adapted to receive the end 26 of a pin 2T carried in the lug 28 upstanding from a short cylinder 29, .mounted on a bracket 30 secured to the face ofthe flange 3 by bolts 31, 31. The short'cylinder 29 is pivoted to said bracket by a pin extending vthrough lugs 3&1, 3d, on said bracket, and through bearing blocks 311, within the cylinder 29. This construction gives a firm and supported bearing for the short cylinder 29, insuring its easy oseination by any movement of the pin 2T caused by its engagement with the block 25, which may be rocked by the difference in twistv between'the flange 3 carrying the bracket 50 and that of the opposite end portion of the shaft 1 adjacent the [lange 2. it the outer end of the cylinder 291 applyv a cross member 236, carrying two corresponding Vand oppositely extending arms 38 and 39, each having a right-angled portion as shown at all), one of said arms eX tending clear ofthe bracket 30, and the other pointing in the opposite direction, to give a balanced construction. ,lt is important that all parts of the torsion meter which isv under centrifugal action during the rotation of the shaft 1, should be thus rounterbalanced. The operation of the parts above described will be readily understood. During rota,- tion of the shaft 1 and with the load applied on said shaft, all torque between the forward end of the shaft l; and the opposite end' at the flange 3,- will be indicated by a differential in movement ,between the bar 2O supported through the rod 6 at the forward end of the shaft 1 and the flange 3,`adj acent said bar, said differential' in movement being` in -liod'by ,the relative oscillation of the cylinder 29 through its pivotal connection between the pin 2, :nd bloclrQ. The block 2readily nieves iipwardly and downnuiri'lly in a tubular portion 241 asthe cylinder oscillates, slot Si? affording a considerable rai'rge of vertical movement for the pin as shown in Fig. 5, this oscillation lifting or lowerino` the rrossbar 36 and the right an- ;,gled `iections 110. Rach shaft in the vessel is equipped with an apparatus thus seA cured to a shaft seitioi'i,y and the portable recording and registering device will now lro described.

This portable vdevice is adapted to' be api i i or speed of rotation bcinp` depeinlently iruustable for each shaft and adapted to be neld by the operator for a few moments rest ing` upon the revolving shaft at any point in fits circumference but anjacent the bracket 30. This portable carries the indiating card :30, and consi in a carriage 51 having suitably journaled therein four wheelsi2, 32, 5,2, 52, and a handle attached to a bail -l. rflic operator {grasps ied to each shaft. irrespective of its dianlethe handle l53 and positions the carriage on the shaft, the wheels 52 permitting the shaft to run freely, while ythe device is thus held v53 and 55 about the bail 5ft and holding same in position by a bolt 56 as shown.` At one sideof the carriage 50 between a pair of wheels 52, is affixed a vertical tubular standard 57, having therethrough slots 58 and 59 to receive the'pin 60 carried by a sleeve `61 adapted to slide on the outside of the standard 57. An expansible spring 62 is fitted within the standard 57 and normally forces the pin 60 downwardly, bearing between the adjusting screw' 63 threaded in the top of the standard 57 and said pin 60. This sleeve 61 is provided at its lower portion with a partially encircling flange 64( and an arm 65 extending outwardly at one side to a pin 66 secured in the carriage 51, said arm having a recess to provide a sliding fitfor said pin 66, and thus to give a double sliding bearing for the sleeve 6l, permitting it lto move vertically without binding. The-up-y per portion of said sleeve is threaded to4 receive a correspondingly threaded thumb nut 67 which is adapted to bear on a sliding block 68,k keyed to the sleeve 61 as shown at 69, a washer 70 being preferablyinterposed between block 68 and said thumb nut. A coiled spring 71 encircling the sleeve and bearing between the flange 64 and said block 68 normallytends to force the block upwardly against the adjustable nut 67. Said block 68 is split at its rear, each split portion being provided with lugs 72, 72, one lug being threaded to receive the correspondingly threaded end `of a bolt 73, the other end of said bolt being provided with a shouldered thumb nut 74 to permit said split por# tion to be quicklyclamped or unclamped, aboutthe sleeve when said block 68 is approximately in the vertical position desired. This block carries an angle iron 75, Ysecured by a screw 76, said angle'iron having at its forward overhanging armV portion a pair of cage wires 7', 77, adjacent an opening in which a ball 78 is fitted, said ball and opening being of appropriatediameter to permit the ball to drop normally below the level of the angle iron 75. The portable device is applied to the rotating shaft 1 and moved with the ball 78 adjacent the extending portion 40 on the cylinder 29, and the device adjusted sothat during the rotation of the shaft, the member el() willjust touch or strike the ball 78,

making said ball jump upwardly within the cage wires 77.' As the device is held stationary while the shaft rotates and as 'such rotation is usually at considerable speed, the result is that the ball 78 will continually dance or"jump upwardly within yits cage, thus giving both visual yand' audible evidence that the apparatus is adjusted to allow for this contact. In actual practice, however, I prefer to adjust: the apparatus asjust described, and then to retract the i thumb nut 67 slightly, withdrawing the ball 78 from actual contact with ythe arm 40, then clamping the block 68, firmly, in this position and then secure the further downward adjustment of the block 68 and-ball 78 until the latterl comes in contact with' the arm 40, by rotation of the card carrier 80, which will now be described.

Mounted on the carriage 51 is a circular card carrier 80, having atop flange 81,- and annular shelf 82 for the purpose of receiving and holdingthe card 50. On the inner diameter of the holder 8O is formed a groove 83, said holder being adaptedto fit over a plurality of upstanding lugs 84, 84 (here shown as four in number), formed on the carriage 51 and spaced diametrically in pairs, an angle iron 85 being applied to one of said lugs, and held in position byfa screw 86 with one flange of said angle iron engaging the groove 83,'thus retainingthe carrier y8O in rotatablefposition on the carriarge- 51. In the outer surface yof the car rier is a cam roove 87 envafrin'v a luv 88" 7 C b t: D

extending from .the flanged portion 64 of the sleeve 61. Preferably this member 88 is formed with the shank 89 adapted to fit into a correspondingly'bored recess in said flange 64 adjacent the arm 65 (see Fig. 3). Rotation of the carrier 8O thus acts to raise or lower the sleeve 61, carrying the block 68 and ball-78, giving a fine adjustment, to bring said ball 78 into operative contact with the arm 40 on the shaft from y'which readings are to be taken. In order to mark the cardA 5()y while taking the readings a short bracket 90'preferably of spring metal is secured to the carriage 51 by posts 91 and screws 92. The spring metal bracket 90 has a side lug 93 with the end extending downwardly (see Fig. 5) overhanging the flange 81 on the'card carrier and in position so that it will, by a slight deflection of the lug andspring, register with .thecard 50 card holder, eachcard'has a recess opposite the zero mark, said cards having circum ferential graduations fromzero to five hunn dred, the zero recess being adapted to fit over a stud 96, the same being adjacent the topmost portion of the cam groove making one complete circle of the carrier with suitable stops 98 and 99 to limit further rotative movement of said carrier, while permitting the Zero mark to turn the complete circle.

The operation of the meter will be readily understood. In order to first secure an approximate Zero point, from which to reckon the torsion readings, it is desirable to apply the apparatus to each shaft and secure a correction for each shaft which remains fixed and can be deducted from all subsequent readings. For this purpose the, apparatus is applied to a shaft when it is dragging i. e., without power applied and simply rotating as easily and as freely as possible while the ship forges ahead. In this condition, practically without appreciable twist, the apparatus is applied to the shaft. the. thumb nut 6T rotated to brina` the ball '7S nearly into contact with the arm anhand with the card 50 at Zero. Further adjustment of the ball 78 until it comes in contact with the arm 4:0 during;- this period when the shaft is dragging without power, is made by rotation of the carrier 8O until actual Contact between the arm @i0 and ball 78 lis observed. In the particular readingherein illustrated, this point is reached at 23, a slight lateral movement of the lever 94 pressing` the flange 93 onto the card and the resulting` indication, viz., at QB-a-ives the correction for this particular shaft. Thereafter, with the engine rotating),` when the apparatus is applied for measuring torsion.v the readingherein shown for the sake of exampleas V3:32, is obtained by the vertical adjustment ofthe block 68 and ball 78 downwardly until actual contacU with the arm 40, this adjustment being secured by rotation of the carrier 8O, and at the instant of contact withthe rotating arm d0 will continually strike the ball 78 making it bounce or dance upwardly in its cage, a second reading` is taken on the card by oscillating the lever 94, which in this instance is presumed to cut the card'at the point 352 in the graduations around the periphery. It will be understood that divisional points between each of the graduations indicated in Fig. 6 are actually present on the card to give fractional. readings therebetween. With this reading 352 obtained, the correction for Zero, viz., 23,`is deducted, resulting in a corrected reading' 329; This reading` is multiplied by the meter constant -which is the torsion meter constant worked out from the shop calibration of each shaft and is among Vthe engineering data which the ship builder turns over with the ship. .This quotient, multiplied by the revolutions per minute of the shaft Vat the time of taking, the reading- 352, gives the shaft horse power at that speed of rotation.

The cards with these readings may be preserved and the indentations thereon constitute a permanent record. Different corrections for each shaft are usual and being once obtained, are constant for all subsequent readings taken. j

My inventionis further described and defined in the form of claims as follows:

l. rlie combination with a portable indieating and recording. apparatus for measuring the twist distortion of a predetermined length of shaft7 of connectionson said shaft, means.V operated by said connections and adapted to take a position corresponding` to the twist ofthe shaft, and means for bringing' said indicating and recording apparatus intocoperativc action with the connection operated means.

2. A torsion meter of the kind described, comprising means to measure the twist distortion of a predetermined length of shaft, consisting` in mechanism secured to and actuated by connections spaced on said shaft and removable indicating' and recording apparatus having adjustable means to bring,` the indicating' and recordingh devices into coperative action with said shaft actuating mechanism, said removable apparatus being;r adapted for contact on a shaft at anypoint on its circumference adjacent one of said xed connections.

3. A torsion meter of the kind described, comprising a shaft section, means having fixed connection with said shaft spaced from each other. constructed and arranged to indicate the twist distortion and automatically movable with the varying-distortion of said spaced connections, a separable indicator carrying` device adapted to be positioned on t ie shaft adjacent one of said fixed connections, said device comprising a rotatable carrier, an arm cooperating` with the fixed twist actuated member, means to adjust the carrier devices for coperating with the said member and means to effect a permanent record of the twist distortion. l

et. lfn a torsion meter having' fixed connections to a shaft, means carried by said fixed connections and adapted to operate an arm in accordance with the torque of a predetermined section of said shaft, the combination with a coiiperatinn' portable indicator and recording apparatus, said apparatus including' anti-friction means permitting` the shaft to rotate under said apparatus, while in contact therewith, a member on the apparatus adapted for contact with said movable lever, means to adjust the contact member j toward and from said lever, means to hold the contact member in adjusted position, and

described, adapted to indicate and record the mechanism to coperate with the fixed tortWist distortion of a plurality of rotating sion actuated mechanism on each shaft and shafts, consisting; in fixed distortion memanti-friction supports for the portable appa- 10 bers applied to each shaft and portable indiratus to rest on the shaft during its rotation.

5 eating and recording apparatus constructed In testimony whereof, l. have signed my and arranged for application to each shaft, name to this specification. said portable apparatus'having adjustable i HENRY H. CUMMINGS 

